GAME REPORT

Turning Point: Having taken a surprise 22-15 lead, Prague were then on the receiving end of a 21-6 finish to the half as UMMC ripped the initiative out of their opponents' hands in brutal fashion.Stats Don't Lie: Prague fought valiantly but struggled to make some lay-ups and nice looks under the basket which contributed to a 32.1% in the paint compared to 55.8% inside for UMMC. They were also out-rebounded by 46 to 34.Game Heroes: There were a trio of headline performers for UMMC Ekaterinburg with Candace Parker claiming a double-double of 16 points and 14 rebounds in a feat matched by frontcourt partner, Sandrine Gruda. The French center amassed 14 points and 11 boards. Diana Taurasi top scored with 18 points.

UMMC Ekaterinburg continued rolling towards a widely predicted return to the top of the EuroLeague Women Final Eight podium after claiming a 71-56 win against the under-strength ZVVZ USK Prague who bowed out with their heads held high.

Once again denied the use of Jelena Dubljevic, Jana Vesela and Eva Viteckova, ZVVZ USK Prague stopped UMMC from making their usual statement of intent right from the tip-off.

In fact, they did much more than this and managed to get themselves ahead at 16-13 by the end of the first quarter, helped by scoring the first five points of the game through Ilona Burgrova and a three-ball from Laia Palau.

After trailing by as many as seven points following a basket from Michaela Stejskalova, UMMC finally clicked into gear with play-caller Olaf Lange admitting his team weren't on-song.

"I really wasn't a happy coach after the first period and to say we came out slow is to put it mildly" he stated.

"We eventually found our rhythm and intensity to make sure that in the end, it was a solid game, but not a great game from us."

Once UMMC turned the tables on Prague in the second-half, they managed to pull clear and went up by as many as twenty points.

To their utmost credit, Prague rallied and cut the arrears in half towards the end of the game, with Danielle Robinson claiming 13 points.